YONKERS RACEWAY TO EXPAND FRENCH SIMULCASTING IN 2015

BY FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway

YONKERS, NY, Thursday, December 4, 2014— Yonkers Raceway and the Standardbred Owners Association of New York have announced an expanded simulcasting calendar with Le Trot and the French PMU for the 2015 racing season.

Pending approval of the New York State Gaming Commission, a total of 31 racing cards—featuring 173 trotting races--are scheduled to be simulcast from Yonkers into Europe. Last month, Yonkers Raceway began the experiment, sending four race dates (thus far) and a total of 20 races, all with oversized fields and at the added (mile-and-one-quarter) distance.

The European response, has been strong. averaging more than $300,000 (U-S) per race. The French-hubbed audience also includes Switzerland, Belgium, Spanish Basque community, Germany, Austria, Luxemburg, Holland, Estonia and Malta.

In addition to the successful late-season Sunday afternoon cards, the 2015 French simulcasting calendar also includes regular Tuesday afternoon simulcasts in the 3-5 PM (ET) range.

(Note that this Sunday, there is a matinee card [first post 11 AM], but, as previous scheduled, it is not simulcast overseas. European export returns Sunday, Dec. 14, for Yonkers’ final live program of the season.)  

"We are particularly pleased with the initial results of the races from Yonkers,” Benoit Fabrega, Technical Director at Le Trot in France, said.  “To be honest, they exceeded the goals we set. There was a real effort by the organizers in America to inform the French public and it works. We are therefore delighted to intensify Yonkers’ product in 2015."

“We are very happy with the results that have been achieved so far,” Raceway president Tim Rooney said. “It has very much been a team effort and we’d like to thank the horsemen for being available and enthusiastic about participating, our fans for coming out and supporting our races at such an early hour and, of course, our French partners for allowing us the opportunity to showcase our racing product.  We look forward to the expanded program.”

“We have carefully and systematically worked for a long time to make sure this pilot program had the benefit of expertise from both sides of the Atlantic,” Joe Faraldo, president of the SOA of New York, said. “The relationship that the success of this effort has produced will be further enhanced and nurtured cooperatively by Yonkers, the SOA of New York and our French partners. The model built here at Yonkers can well serve the industry in the cultivation of a global market.”

            Again, pending NYSGC approval, Yonkers’ 2015 live season is scheduled to begin Friday night, Jan. 9 (further information when available). 

Cal Expo - Saturday Barn Notes

King of the Crop still King of the Hill

By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness 

The first Sire Stakes of the meeting saw King Of The Crop picking up right where he left off during the spring, posing for pictures as he added another trophy to the mantle for his owner/breeder Frank Nevarez.

The 3-year-old pacing son of Little Steven, who is now conditioned by Gordie Graham, was driven for the first time in evening action by Bruce Clarke and got the job done in game, first-over fashion despite making his initial start since late June at Balmoral Park.

“I got King Of The Crop at the end of August,” Graham informed. “He’s a nice, quiet and laid back horse with a touch of class. I was able to get two qualifiers into him and then he was going to make a start before the stakes, but he had a little mucus and we had to scratch.”

Despite missing a start that could have had him nice and tight for the stakes engagement, King Of The Crop did not disappoint his many backers while prevailing by a length over Tony Cheesecake in last week’s stakes clash.

“I was actually surprised so many horses fired out of there at the start, but the quarter was only :29,” Gordie said. “Bruce said he didn’t want to go to the front, so he was pretty patient with him in the early going. It all worked out.”

Graham, who currently has 10 performers for Nevarez, is looking ahead with this pacer and likes what he sees. “There are three more Sire Stakes races, but they’re somewhat spread out so we’ll be racing him sparingly. I think he could turn out to be a very nice horse down the road.”

In the meantime, there are three more big-money races for this division to be contested, and there’s no question the one they have to beat.

Open Pace brings out St Lads Lotto

St Lads Lotto, who has rattled off three straight victories while steadily working his way up the class ladder, puts that streak on the line in Saturday night’s $6,000 Open Pace at Cal Expo.

A 12-race card is on tap with first post set for 6:10. A reminder that the trotters and pacers are now in action on Saturday and Sunday nights, with Friday racing being added to the schedule beginning on December 26.

St Lad Lotto is a 4-year-old Ontario-bred son of Stonebridge Eagle who carries the banner of Ferne and Jack Frydman, is conditioned by Mark Winnacott and will have Steve Wiseman at the controls while doing his work from the No. 6 slot in a field of 10.

A 1:52 winner last season at Mohawk, the dark-hued performer had to settle for minor awards in his first two starts at this meet, but has had his picture taken three times in a row since. The most recent came two weeks ago when he rallied from last to get the job done over a sloppy track with Wiseman giving directions.

Set to line up against the razor-sharp Winnacott trainee are Paydaze on the Way; Stable Eyes; China King; Mar Dream; P H Jackpot; No Gin; Rusty Skip; Cenalta Power; and A Real Miracle.

Cenelta Power captured the November 15 Open Pace in an 11-1 upset in his local debut. The Alberta invader is owned, trained and driven by Ryan Grundy. He sat a tracking trip in last month’s score and ignited when it counted to be up by a half-length that evening for his fifth score on the season.

There are now four wagers here each night that feature a reduced 16% takeout rate. They are the 50-cent Pick 5; the Jackpot 6: the Pick 4 and the Hi-5 on the nitecap.

Big Super Hi-5 Guarantee Tuesday At The Raceway

London, December 2, 2014 -- There will be plenty of reasons for fans to tune into The Raceway in London on Tuesday night - 15,000 reasons to be exact.

Fuelled by a carryover of close to $5,700 into Tuesday’s early Super Hi-5 wager, The Raceway is offering an instant guarantee of $15,000 on the gross pool.

Whosurpapa posted a massive 78-1 ($158.10) upset in Monday’s final race, sweeping the field in the backstretch and going on to 7-3/4 length win. Since no one correctly selected the winning combination with the longshot winner on top, it triggered the carryover into Tuesday’s early  Super Hi-5 in race 7.

Survivor Tuesdays, a new free handicapping contest sponsored by Horseplayer Interactive (HPI), will also kick off Tuesday night. Contestants will make one selection (plus an alternate) on all 12 races and their pick must finish in the top three to advance (survive) to the next race. The last person (s) standing will receive a $100 deposit into their HPI account or Raceway merchandise.

For full contest rules and for FREE program downloads for Tuesday’s card, visit www.westernfairdistrict.com.